Pretests
I find pre-tests useful when you have a very diverse group with multiple learning styles. It can give you an idea of where more of your time needs to be spent and keeps the student from being bored.
Sheri,
Sounds like a perfect use and setting for pretesting!
Barry Westling
I utilize pretests when I teach capstone, the students final class which reviews all the course content in their degree. It helps to focus on their weak areas so they can study more.
Lori,
Super! I think a pretest can be just a short "toe in the water" assessment of students prior learning. The information is valuable to determine how I can best plan my course to meet individual student needs.
Barry Westling
Pretests are definitely a great ice breaker and help you to understand your students. I have used them and it has helped me to make the course content more relatable for them.
Keith,
Well, it's never to late to start next time!
Barry Westling
I wish I had established a pretest before class started.
Omesa,
Pretesting helps the teacher more than the students in that information gained provides insight as to how best to modify the course to meet student needs.
Barry Westling
I think that is a great way to know what students wekness and strengths are as well.
Edith,
It sounds like you have a special ability to be able to relate to your students. They should appreciate they have you as an instructor.
Barry Westling
I like to use a pretest as an icebreaker on the first day of class. I do not let students know it is a pretest but rather an icebreaker to allow me to get to know them and adjust my teaching style for the course so the whole community succeeds. I approach the success of my classes not in an individualistic approach, but rather, from a collectivist approach, letting students know the success or failure of this class depends on the entire community and not just one or two exceptional students. To succeed we all need to succeed and we need to pool our strengths and identify our weaknesses so we can help each other through the process to the very best of our abilities. I mix personal information questions along with professional questions to allow me to further identify the learning needs of my students. For example, I ask students to identify their favorite number so I can use those numbers to place students in groups or order their presentations.
Pamela ,
Sure. Anything that prevents student boredom is probably a good thing (short of early class dismissal). It's said knowledge is power. So having knowing of where and what our student know (via pretesting) can potentially add to powerful presentation and content delivery that applicale to the level the bulk of our students are operating at.
Barry Westling
